I'm 18 years old and weigh 128 pounds. I'm pretty physically fit for most guys my age. Should I get a youth model or adult size 870? I can handle recoil well but some adult models are just a bit big for me to hold. Is there a special stock i can order to fit my size?

I started shooting my Remington Model 58 when I was 11 yrs old and weighed slightly less than 100 lbs. My dad chopped off the stock so it would fit me and just kept adding spacers to the stock as I grew to full size. I've been shooting that same gun for more than half a century now. Glad he didn't get me a kid's gun.

For HD, I keep a Youth Model 870 next to my bed, and I weigh about twice what you do. I picked it because the size makes moving through my apartment much easier, and the lower recoil makes it easier to keep the sights on my target. Plus, my wife is your size, so if she needs it, I want her to be able to use it.

The youth model is about 3/8 lb lighter and 9" shorter than a typical 870. The receiver is the same as the standard 870 and there should be no substantial difference in the recoil between the standard and youth models.

I would suggest you go to a big box store that might have some in stock & try them for handling/fit - keeping in mind that some youth models have shorter barrels, besides shorter buttstocks - not necessarily a good thing for swing/follow-through wing and/or clay target shooting.

You might also want to keep an eye out for a Remington Special Field model ( 870 pumps & 1100 autos), which are lighter, etc.
A 20ga Special Field is a joy unto itself.

A proper youth stock will also be shorter in the pistol grip portion lessening the reach of the trigger finger to the trigger. A properly fitted youth stocked gun will also have the CG of the gun moved due to the shorter barrel to a point that it helps the swing and makes the gun less muzzle heavy.

Your weight isn't an issue...I weighed a buck-15 at that age. The issue is size...yours vs. the gun. If you are having trouble holding it I'm guessing you are on the short side of 5'6". That comes with the attendant shorter arms and smaller hands. If that is true, a 14"+ length of pull stock is your enemy. If that is true, simply cutting down the stock is not necessarily the answer: I'm on the shy side of 5'4" BTDT.

Since you have about 3 maybe 4 more years to gain any height, how do you stack up against the other men in your family? If you will probably get a couple or four more inches get a full size that you can finish growing into. If you are probably topped out, a youth may very well be your answer.

If you have a reasonable expectation of growing, MAYBE the regular model will be best. But - It is a lot easier to add a butt pad to a short stock than to do a good job cutting a long stock down shorter. I've seen professionals do that job poorly(and be strangely proud of their poor work).

For my own part, a 12.5 inch length of pull is ideal, 13 inch is manageable. It is a lot less comfortable to use something longer. 13-3/4 is great for full sized adult males. Not so good for their wives, children, or shorter friends. Or me.

Not familiar with the current full line of 870's specifically, and like many purveyors, they don't list LOP in the descriptions. Been a while but like most shotguns, the normal LOP on an 870 is fairly long. [Pet peeve - LOP should be a stat in every spec listing, at least on the web pages of the individual models. Despite rumor they ain't standardized too well.]

When expanding this LOP search to other long arms, be aware that some of the dimensional changes include shorter barrels. One rifle I would like will probably require cutting the stock on the regular stock model, as the youth barrel is four inches shorter.

One of the adjustable tactical stock is a really practical solution that works well in accommodating the LOP issue for everyone. They are not available for many long guns.....but the real problem there is a nice walnut stock is just a lot nicer to look at.

And with all that said, Dad's old Sears pump has a 14 inch LOP. It sat up for 20 years. Glad I never had it cut, cuz its been just right for my oldest.

This email link is to reach site administrators for assistance, if you cannot access TFL via other means. If you are a TFL member and can access TFL, please do not use this link; instead, use the forums (like Questions, Suggestions, and Tech Support) or PM an appropriate mod or admin.

If you are experiencing difficulties posting in the Buy/Sell/Trade subforums of TFL, please read the "sticky" announcement threads at the top of the applicable subforum. If you still feel you are qualified to post in those subforums, please contact "Shane Tuttle" (the mod for that portion of TFL) via Private Message for assistance.

This email contact address is not an "Ask the Firearms Expert" service. Such emails will be ignored. If you have a firearm related question, please register and post it on the forums.